Peace from Within

marți, decembrie 30, 2008

Sing in the shower – Treat everyone you meet like you want to be treated – Watch a sunrise at least once a year – Leave the toilet seat in the down position – Never refuse homemade brownies – Strive for excellence, not perfection – Plant a tree on your birthday – Learn three clean jokes – Return borrowed vehicles with the gas tank full – Compliment three people everyday – Never waste an opportunity to tell someone you love them – Resist the temptation to praise yourself – Don’t boast about tomorrow – Leave everything a little better than you found it – Keep it simple – Think big thoughts but relish small treasures – Become the most positive and enthusiastic person you know – Floss your teeth – Ask for a raise when you feel you have earned it – Be forgiving of yourself and others – Overtip breakfast waitresses – Say ‘thank you’ a lot – Say ‘please’ a lot – Avoid negative people – Buy whatever kids are selling on card tables in their front yards – Wear polished shoes – Return your phone calls and emails promptly – Remember other people’s birthdays – Commit yourself to constant improvement – Carry jumper cables in your trunk – Be a good listener – When asked for help, be available, whether a menial or very important thing -- Have a firm handshake – Send lots of Valentine cards. Sign them, ‘Someone who thinks you are terrific’ – Look people in the eye – Be the first to say, ‘Hello’ – Use the good silver – Return all things you borrow – Make new friends but cherish the old ones – Keep secrets – Sing in a choir – Plant flowers every spring – Have a pet – Always accept an outstretched hand – Stop blaming others. Take responsibility for every area of your life -- Wave at kids on school busses – Be there when people need you – Feed a stranger’s expired parking meter – Do not expect life to be fair – Never underestimate the power of love – Do a kind deed for no reason at all – Live your life as an exclamation, not an explanation – Don’t be afraid to say, ‘I made a mistake’ – Don’t be afraid to say, ‘I don’t know’ – Compliment even small improvements – Keep your promises (no matter what) – Marry only for love – Rekindle old friendships – Count your blessings – Take time to encourage others --Call your parent(s).

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Simply put be all that you can be in the upcoming year. We are all special in our own way. Work on all those wonderful gifts and talents that lie within you and prosper and be happy...

One thing that truly signifies the arrival of Christmas is the beautiful Christmas wreaths that are hung outside everyone's houses. Available in a plethora of designs, styles, colors and makes, these wreaths go a long way in making your home look wonderful on Christmas. For those who want a touch of elegance and tradition in their Christmas decoration, Christmas wreaths are the best bet for you. Here you have some examples. Pick up one for your taste.

duminică, decembrie 14, 2008

In Romania, the winter holiday season is truly in full-swing from December 24 to January 7. Highlights include: Christmas Day, New Year and Epiphany, with their respective eves. The most important feature of these celebrations is their unique variety of colorful Romanian customs, traditions, and believes, of artistic, literary, musical, and other folklore events, which make the winter holidays some of the most original and spectacular spiritual manifestations of the Romanian people.

Children of all ages go from house to house singing Christmas carols, or through the streets on New Year's Eve reciting congratulatory verse. The whole traditional village participates in waists, although mostly children practice this custom.

The Caroling called ColindatulTraditionally, during the first hours after dark on Christmas' Eve is the time for children to go caroling and the adults stay home to greet them. As they go caroling from house to house, the children receive treats like candy, fruit, baked treats and sometimes even money in appreciation of their performance and as a sign of holiday good will.The grown-ups caroling goes on Christmas evening and night. The waits -young and mature people - gather in groups and they choose a leader. When they are in the front yard of a house, they perform their repertory to the host. The songs are always accompanied by dance. When the performance is over, the host invites the carolers inside the house for food, drinks and presents.

The Star Carol * Steaua*

Children make a star using colored paper and then they put in its middle an icon of Jesus. Many of children decorate their star using shiny tinsel. The “Star Carol” is a tradition during the 3 days of Romanian Christmas. While holding the star in the hands the children sing:"The star has appeared on high, Like a big secret in the sky, The star is bright, May all your wishes turn out right…

"The Goat Tradition * Capra*

Throughout the season, teenagers and young adults especially enjoy caroling with the “Goat”. The “Goat” is actually a usually boisterous young person dressed up in a goat costume. The whole group dances through the streets and from door to door, often with flute music. This tradition comes from the ancient Roman people and it reminds us of the celebration of the ancient Greek gods. This custom is also called "brezaia" in Wallachia and Oltenia, because of the multicolored appearance of the goat mask. The goat jumps, jerks, turns round, and bends, clattering regularly the wooden jaws.

Bear Custom * Ursul*

This custom is known only in Moldavia, a part of Romania, on the Christmas Eve. In this case a young person dresses up in a bear costume adorned with red tassels on its ears, on his head and shoulders. The person wearing the bear costume is accompanied by fiddlers and followed by a whole procession of characters, among them a child dressed-up as the bear's cub. Inspired by the crowd’s singing:"Dance well, you old bear, And I’ll give you bread and olives",the bear grumbles and imitates the steps of the bear, striking strongly against the earth with the soles of its feet to the sound of drums and pipes.

The Little Plough * Plugusorul*

Plugusorul is a small plough. In Romanian folklore is a traditional procession with a decorated plough, on New Years' Eve. This is a well wishing custom for the field fruitfulness into the new year. This custom arises from "Carmen arvale", a Roman wish for bountiful crops.The ploughmen are teenagers and children carrying whips, bells and pipes in their hands.

Sorcova" is a special bouquet used for New Year's wishes early New Year’s morning. Children wish people a “Happy New Year!” while touching them lightly with this bouquet. After they have wished a Happy New Year to the members of their family, the children go to the neighbors and relatives. Traditionally, the "Sorcova" bouquet was made up of one or several fruit - tree twigs (apple-tree, pear-tree, cherry-tree, plum-tree); all of them are put into water, in warm place, on November 30th (St. Andrew’s Day), in order to bud and to blossom on New Year's Eve.

Merry Sorcova,May your health be strongAnd you life long:As an apple treeAs a pear statelyAs a rose bush fairBlossoming beyond compare:Strong as a granite rockQuick as an arrow’s shockHard as an iron barTougher than steel by far,Over summer, over spring,May your health be greatA New Year with happinessAnd in everything success.

Nowadays people often use an apple-tree or pear-tree twig decorated with flowers made up of colored paper. The children receive all kinds of treats such as: cakes, honeycombs, biscuits, pretzels, candies, nuts, money.

joi, decembrie 11, 2008

Friends forever are hard to find and even harder to hold on to. Christmas is a time of the year, when friends come﻿ down from far and wide to cherish their long fruitful relationships. Christmas is a time to forgive and forget. So if you have had a break up with your long time friend, this is the time to patch up.

Another Day, another Year, another Smile, another Tear, another Winter... May lovely Happy Time, decorate this time of the season. May Warm, Special Memories Brighten Your New Year, may the Wonder of Xmas Be With You Forever!

duminică, decembrie 07, 2008

A good time is coming,I wish it were here,The very best timeIn the whole of the year;I'm counting each dayOn my fingers and thumbs--The weeks that must passBefore Santa Claus comes.

Then when the first snowflakesBegin to come down,And the wind whistles sharpAnd the branches are brown,I'll not mind the cold,Though my fingers it numbs,For it brings the time nearerWhen Santa Claus comes.

Rovaniemi (Finland) named also the city's Santa Claus is situated close to the Arctic Circle and between the hills of Ounasvaara and Korkalovaara, at the confluence of the Kemijoki River and its tributary, the Ounasjoki River.

A phenomenon also attracting numerous tourists is the Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights. In Finnish Lapland the number of auroral displays can be as high as 200 a year whereas in southern Finland the number is usually fewer than 20.

Friends forever are hard to find and even harder to hold on to. Christmas is a time of the year, when friends come down from far and wide to cherish their long fruitful relationships. Christmas is a time to forgive and forget. So if you have had a break up with your long time friend, this is the time to patch up.

Holy Bishop St. Nicholas lived farawayNear the Aegean Sea is where Turkey did lay.Travel back with us now to a time long ago.We will visit his country, his life we will know.

We remember this saint, such a holy, good man.Be like him in charity, do all that you can.Many miracles Nicholas hastened to do,Helping people in need with gifts that were new.

Bishop Nicholas traveled to Nicea town,Where the Creed would be written, to us handed down.During church every Sunday, we stand for the Creed.Thank you Bishop St. Nicholas, for doing this deed.

Sailors tossed in the wind and the storms of the sea,Saw a vision of Nicholas who guided them free.Now patron of sailing, they remember him yet.Many icons and pictures with fisherman's net.

Giving money to poor girls, so marry could they,Made our Nicholas famous, remembered today.With dowry in hand, soon they were wed."God bless you and keep you," St. Nicholas said.

Kid's patron in Germany, Netherlands, too.Asks that presents be given to children like you.Their customs are different: they put out their shoes—Filling them with toys, his coming's good news!

Here stockings are hung by the chimney with care,In hope that St. Nicholas soon will come there.Dressed as bishop or Santa, he's one and the same—Jolly, friendly, good man, we're glad that he came.

French card, St NicolasCall him "Santa" or "saint," they both mean the same,For his nickname is Claus, short for Nicholas' name.Giving gifts was his custom—we still do today.Deeds done in Jesus' name forever will stay.

Bishop Nicholas still is a hero to all.Christmas Day, and all others we follow his call,Bringing gifts and some joy to children in need.Follow Nicholas today—do a good deed.

joi, decembrie 04, 2008

"What is Christmas? It is tenderness for the past, courage for the present, hope for the future. It is a fervent wish that every cup may overflow with blessings rich and eternal, and that every path may lead to peace." (Agnes M. Pahro)

marți, decembrie 02, 2008

If you want happiness for an hour – take a nap.If you want happiness for a day – go fishing.If you want happiness for a month – get married.If you want happiness for a year – inherit a fortune.If you want happiness for a lifetime – help someone else.

Living thoughts

Become silent.In your silence, all questions will disappear. And the dance will begin, whatever the figure! Because as far as your inner being is concerned, it has no figure; it is just a luminous flame which can dance. It has been eternally there, repressed by you. You are the greatest enemy of yourself. My effort is to turn you into the greatest friend of yourself. (OSHO)Non-Mentalul e Realizare.Non-Mentalul e Iluminare.Non-Mentalul e Eliberare.(OSHO)